


The Beginnings of a Plan

by JEAikman



Series: The Musketeers - prompts and one-shots [39]
Category: The Musketeers (2014)
Genre: Episode Tag, Episode: s01e09 Knight Takes Queen, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-20
Updated: 2014-07-20
Packaged: 2018-02-09 16:04:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 768
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1989174
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JEAikman/pseuds/JEAikman
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The aftermath of Athos revealing the meaning of the forget-me-nots. </p><p>Bit of a missing scene for episode 9</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Beginnings of a Plan

"Athos!" he turned and saw d'Artagnan making his way up to him, seeming worried about something.

"I need to talk to you." It sounded almost like he wanted to confess something - and wasn't that ominous?  
"What is it?" He asked mildly, eyes searching the Gascon's face. He was concerned to find fear there, and nervousness.  
"I... Those flowers. I've seen them before" There was stunned silence from everyone, except the Queen, who smiled at him encouragingly.   
"When?" She asked, seeing that no one else seemed able to find their voice, Athos especially.

  
"I... After the mission with Vadim." he looked up at Athos guiltily. "She calls herself Milady de Winter. Apparently she frightened Const- Madame Bonacieux. She left those flowers on my bed. And that was after she saved me from those red Guards and then told me that if I chose the Musketeers, I chose oblivion". All of them gasped in shock at the obvious threat that the woman had made to d'Artagnan, and Athos looked mortified

"d'Artagnan," he scolded the Gascon gently, "There was no way you could have known who she was." The Gascon shook his head. "But that wasn't the first time I met her. That was the night before I met any of you." His admission, and its' implications rang heavily in the silence that followed. When Athos spoke, his voice was deceptively calm  
"You slept... With my wife?" That's when d'Artagnan knew he was a dead man.  
"Gentlemen!" The queen hissed, in a voice which would not tolerate disobedience. Everyone froze, and even Athos paused in his lunge towards d'Artagnan.

  
"Did you have any idea who this woman was?" She asked, and the boy shook his head, still staring, terrified, over to where Porthos was restraining Athos and Aramis was trying to calm him down.

"He had no idea she was married, Athos. Let alone to you." D'Artagnan made a strangled noise in the back of his throat.  
"I knew she loved a man, and he tried to kill her. That was all she told me. I might have also... Promised to kill you?" he said this last sheepishly, and refused to meet his eyes.

 

Athos had calmed significantly enough now that he could see the truth behind d'Artagnan's words, and he took a deep breath, nodding. Porthos tentatively let him go.  
"I assume you weren't telling me all this in the hope of dying - so why?" he asked, and d'Artagnan grinned.  
"She trusts me. We can work with that. Use it to our advantage." Athos looked thoughtful, but Aramis and Porthos had seen _that_ look on the boy's face before. The one that came before one of his ridiculous plans. Ones that nearly killed him.

  
"What do you propose?" Athos asked. D'Artagnan grinned.  
"First, you'll need to get drunk - very drunk. Then, you'll take Milady hostage. Then I'll step in to save her and you'll shoot me. We can then use her to get to the Cardinal, and trick him into confessing his crimes before Her Majesty." The looks of blank shock and the outright refusal which was on Athos' lips died when Queen Anne touched his shoulder gently.

 

"You are a brave young man, Monsieur d'Artagnan. My husband certainly knew what he was doing when he bestowed your commission." she told him, smiling sadly. "You would risk much, but I believe your plan has merit."  
"All I risk is my own life, Your Majesty, which is not overly dear to me" he shrugged.  
"It is to some of the rest of us, you damned fool!" Athos hissed at him, grabbing him by the lapels of his shirt "I refuse to lose another brother to that woman."

 

The silence that followed -this- declaration was deafening. But d'Artagnan only had eyes for Athos, and that fierce, burning, protective gaze in his eyes nearly brought him to his knees, and he pulled his own arms around his friend. Athos froze at the unexpected embrace, still shaking. "I beg you, do not ask this of me, d'Artagnan." His voice was hoarse and his hands shook as he kept them fisted in d'Artagnan's shirt and as he bent his head forward, their foreheads touched.

"Don't you dare talk about throwing your life away so easily, ever, ever again" He whispered, and not daring to speak, d'Artagnan nodded, and they both fell to their knees, holding each other close and whispering desperate apologies to each other. They only broke apart when Treville cleared his throat. They immediately jumped up to their feet and stood to attention.

  
"Well, gentlemen - it appears a few explanations are in order."

 

**Author's Note:**

> This was another one that's been sitting in my WIP folder for months that I've just tidied up a bit. Hope you enjoy!


End file.
